It has been said that at the end of time, 2 things will remain – cockroaches and Melasma!
That’s how stubborn it can be!
Melasma is the name for a type of pigmentation, generally – but not only – on the face. It can be triggered by hormonal changes – like pregnancy (“the mask of pregnancy”), contraceptive pills, progesterone even in menopausal HRT, UV damage, some medication and even stress.
The thing about melasma is that there is no cure. It is like Diabetes. You’ve got it, so you need to control it, manage it, but sometimes it might flare up. Treatment of melasma is always topical to begin with. Be very suspicious of anyone who wants to treat your melasma with a light or laser without pre-treating you first. And the long-term management is going to be pigment suppressing topical home care. For some patients, after a few months on a topical cream they have enough suppression to be happy to sit with that. For others they want to try and reduce it further.
It is true that we can achieve good reductions in melasma with Halo Laser or BBL or even microneedling with actives applied in the treatment, but this must only be undertaken in the knowledge that the changes are not permanent and ongoing care is needed.